Listed below are the approved requirements for the program from the official Academic Programs Catalog.
Students must consult their advisors to learn which specific requirements apply to their degree programs.
Following this section are the requirements as represented in Degree Navigator, MSU's online advising tool. The Degree Navigator section is only available for programs using Degree Navigator for degree certification.

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

School of Packaging

Undergraduate Programs

Packaging

The School of Packaging offers a program of instruction leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. The program combines basic principles of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and materials science with specialized courses to prepare students for rewarding careers in industry. Career opportunities are plentiful since some form of packaging is involved in the production and movement to market of nearly every item of consumption in today’s economy. In addition to careers in companies that use packaging, attractive opportunities are also available in the package supply industries. Package supplier industries include companies that print and convert paper and flexible plastic materials as well as manufacturers of such diverse items as bottles, cans, folding cartons, corrugated boxes, drums, wooden containers, pallets, pails, tubes, vials, and jars. Packaging impacts most functions in manufacturing firms so graduates may work in package development, production, quality control, research, sales, purchasing, marketing, testing, distribution, or technical services.

In its flexibility, the program allows students to leverage their personal skills and interests and to make individualized choices. Two concentrations are offered: Packaging Science and Packaging Value Chain Management. The Packaging Science concentration focuses on the technical needs of packaging while the Packaging Value Chain Management concentration focuses on the role of packaging in the value chain and the need to understand economics and business functions. Elective courses provide focused study in specific areas of the packaging industry.

Admission as a Junior

Enrollments in the School of Packaging are limited. To be considered for admission to the major, the student must have:

Completed at least 56 credits.

Completed the following courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 in each course:

Chemistry 141.

Mathematics 133.

Physics 231.

The student's cumulative grade–point average for all courses completed is considered in the admission decision.

For additional information about admissions criteria and procedures, students should contact the School of Packaging.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging

The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging.

The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Packaging major is met by completing Packaging 486. That course is referenced in item 3. below.

Students who are enrolled in the Packaging major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the School of Packaging may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Chemistry 141,143 and 161; or Food Science 342 or Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 201. The completion of Chemistry 143 and 161 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Chemistry 141, 143 and 161; Food Science 342 or Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 201 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 3. below.

The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.

The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.

Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.

The following requirements for the major:

a.

All of the following courses (57 credits):

CEM

141

General Chemistry

4

CEM

143

Survey of Organic Chemistry

4

CEM

161

Chemistry Laboratory I

1

MTH

132

Calculus I

3

MTH

133

Calculus II

4

PKG

101

Principles of Packaging

3

PKG

102

Introductory Packaging Seminar

2

PKG

221

Packaging with Glass and Metal

2

PKG

315

Packaging Decision Systems

3

PKG

322

Packaging with Paper and Paperboard

4

PKG

323

Packaging with Plastics

4

PKG

410

Distribution Packaging Dynamics

4

PKG

411

Package Development Technology

3

PKG

432

Packaging Processes

4

PKG

485

Packaging Development

3

PKG

486

Packaging Senior Capstone (W)

3

PHY

231

Introductory Physics I

3

PHY

232

Introductory Physics II

3

b.

One of the following courses (3 credits):

FSC

342

Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program

3

MMG

201

Fundamentals of Microbiology

3

A course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill a requirement in the Packaging
Science concentration.

c.

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

STT

200

Statistical Methods

3

STT

201

Statistical Methods

4

STT

315

Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business

3

STT

351

Probability and Statistics for Engineering

3

d.

One of the following courses (3 credits):

MKT

327

Introduction to Marketing

3

SCM

303

Introduction to Supply Chain Management

3

A course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill a requirement in the Packaging Value Chain Management concentration.

e.

One of the following concentrations (18 credits):

Packaging Science

1.

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

PKG

452

Medical Packaging

4

PKG

455

Food Packaging

3

2.

Completion of 6 credits of electives in packaging. Enrollment in a packaging internship completed under PKG 493 (up to 3 credits) and enrollment in a packaging overseas study program completed under PKG 491 (up to 3 credits) may be used towards this requirement with advisor approval.

3.

Completion of 9 credits of electives from the following with at least one course at the 300-level or above:

BMB

200

Introduction to Biochemistry

4

CE

221

Statics

3

FSC

211

Principles of Food Science

3

FSC

325

Food Processing: Unit Operations

3

FSC

342

Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program

3

FSC

401

Food Chemistry

3

FSC

421

Food Laws and Regulations

3

FSC

440

Food Microbiology

3

MMG

201

Fundamental of Microbiology

3

MMG

301

Introductory Microbiology

3

MMG

302

Introductory for General and Allied Health Microbiology

1

STT

464

Statistics for Biologists

3

STT

465

Bayesian Statistical Methods

3

Other courses with department approval.

Courses used to fulfill a concentration requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. b. above.

Packaging Value Chain Management

1.

The following course (3 credits):

PKG

465

Packaging Value Chain

3

2.

Completion of 6 credits of electives in packaging. Enrollment in a packaging internship completed under PKG 493 (up to 3 credits) and enrollment in a packaging overseas study program completed under PKG 491 (up to 3 credits) may be used towards this requiremement with advisor approval.

3.

Completion of 9 credits of electives from the following:

3

EC

301

Intermediate Microeconomics

3

EC

302

Intermediate Macroeconomics

3

EC

360

Private Enterprise and Public Policy

3

FI

320

Introduction to Finance

3

GBL

323

Introduction to Business Law

3

MGT

325

Management Skills and Processes

3

MKT

327

Introduction to Marketing

3

SCM

303

Introduction to Supply Chain Management

Other courses with department approval.

Courses used to fulfill a concentration requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. d. above.

Degree Requirements from Degree Navigator.

NOTE: Degree Navigator is an advising tool only and should not be viewed as a contract with the student.
Any questions about the requirements should be directed to an academic advisor.

College Distribution: 26 credits from courses in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Requirement 32: Electives

Electives: 0 credits from Electives at Michigan State University and transfer coursework. This number can change based on the credits of the coursework taken to fulfill University, College, and Major requirements. Please contact your academic advisor with any questions.

Requirement 33: University Residency

University Residency: 30 credits from MSU coursework, 27 credits from MSU courses taken after reaching junior standing, 20 credits from courses offered by MSU while admitted to major & 20 of the last 30 credits must be MSU courses. Please see academic advisor.